soil bed from Gascanastan mix

[lacreature]

I'm trying to make a soil bed out of Gascanastan's soil mix from the "Living organic soil from start through recycling" thread and the only thing I'm stuck on is what clay to add.

sourcing bentonite here in Canada has proved to be quite difficult.

What could I add as a substitute?

 

[Greenheart]

"BENTONITE - Al2O3.5SIO2.7H2O

MONTMORILLONITE - clay resulting from decomposition of volcanic ash, includes BENTONITE

PYROPHYLLITE - Al2O3.4SiO2.H2O "

I came across this while trying to source some of the stuff myself. http://www.lakesidepottery.com/HTML%20Text/Tips/Glossary%20of%20Ceramic%20Raw%20Materials.htm

I bought elsewhere but the data may help you. Pyrophyllite is mentioned later in the organic recycling thread.

 

[BlueJayWay]

Are there other clays you have access to?

Otherwise I wouldn't sweat it dude, the clay won't make or break the soil, I have no clay in my two year recycled soil.

If you literally have everything else then mix that shit up and get to growin! You can add clay or a myriad of other amendments at any time while any portion of the soil is "out of play" - concentrate on the three most important factors:

Sphagnum peat
Aeration
Humus humus humus - compost - vermicompost - ewc

 

[ClackamasCootz]

sourcing bentonite here in Canada has proved to be quite difficult.

Gaia Green
Grand Forks, BC

Products - Mineral Products

Agriculture Gypsum
Bentonite
Greensand
Langbeinite (K-MAG, Sul-Po-Mag, Sulfate of Potash Magnesia - pick a name)
Diatomaceous Earth
Epson Salts (Magnesium Sulfate)
Glacial Rock Dust
Fossilized Carbon Complex
Potassium Sulfate
Rock Phosphate
Sulfur
Cal-Phos Soft Rock Phosphate

Locations

Retail outlets in 12 provinces

HTH

CC

 

[ClackamasCootz]

Canadian Mineral Sources - Remineralize The Earth

 

[SpicySativa]

Bentonite is used for the annular seal just about every time a well is installed. Contact a well driller an try will tell you where to look.

 

[SpicySativa]

Bentonite is used for the annular seal just about every time a well is installed. Contact a well driller an they will tell you where to look.

 

[DuckDuckGoose]

where in canada???? are you in ontario...?
i bought my pyrophyllite clay from the pottery supply house. www.pshcanada.com
i paid $7.25 for 5 kg and to have it delivered to my house it came to around $14 total. i figured it would have cost me the $7 bucks to drive and get it so ups hooked it up.

 

[RanchoDeluxe]

I live in Montana and I was doing a search on bentonite a few weeks ago. There are plenty of naturally occuring bentonite deposits throughout western Montana. I'm guessing these deposits don't stop at the border. Just a thought.

Currently I have no clay in my soil.

 

[Gascanastan]

Try to find natural deposits in your area if sourcing commercial brands fails. Look along river banks,old lake shores,areas where sediments occur over thousands of years like tsunami zones along the coast.

Well drillers do indeed use Bentonite...to seal the well casing. These guys get pallets of it.

Get some clay in there now or later...your soil will thank you.

Gas

 

[Microbeman]

I'm trying to make a soil bed out of Gascanastan's soil mix from the "Living organic soil from start through recycling" thread and the only thing I'm stuck on is what clay to add.

sourcing bentonite here in Canada has proved to be quite difficult.

What could I add as a substitute?

Bentonite is mined in many places in Canada

 

[lacreature]

Thanks for the help guys. I did try to contact gaiagreen but they said getting bentonite or oyster shell would be difficult.. w.e that means.

Any of you have a source in canada for the crab shell meal? i couldnt find any except for the states

 

[Microbeman]

In my opinion Gaia is not the greatest source. I prefer sourcing powders from mining companies, livestock stores or pottery supply houses. Cheaper and less BS

 

[DuckDuckGoose]

getting oyster shell powder from Gaia Green requires subtle manipulation. i tripped on them because their "living soil" was about as alive as Elvis, and nagged to the president of the company that there was no oyster shell flour east of Vancouver. he referred me to the distributors in my area and they referred me back to Gaia Green. so after i sent a bunch of emails and went asshole mode on them, they sent me this....




check out the smoked salmon steak. a little gift from the president shipped free of charge. they are good people and try to do good business. it's probably better to get the clay elsewhere like th place i mentioned in my other post, but Gaia Green is basically the only option for oyster shell flour that i could find in Canada.

DDG

 

[DuckDuckGoose]

oh yeah, as far as crab meal in Canada, good luck! i was able to source a bunch of companies in the East coast that manufacture it but they don't respond to my emails. i don't think they sell it retail or even in Canada at all.

i used Welcome Harvest Farms fish and crab meal. i don't think it's even listed on their website, but it's in the distribution catalog and i have a bag so i know you can get it. i think it's a good enough substitute. i also incorporated a compost called Bio-sol from Fafard. it has peat, manure, seaweed and shrimp flour. Fafard also has a peat and shrimp compost but i couldn't get it this time of year. the shrimp flour was the bonus that i was after for the chitin content. if you have issues with other organic amendments hit me up, i just went through this song and dance trying to get a bunch of gardening supplies in the dead of winter.

DDG

 

[Microbeman]

Try livestock supply, driller's supply
http://www.ufa.com/products/product.html?open&/products/oyster-shell
http://pestell.com/mineralselect.php?id=72
http://www.homesteadorganics.ca/supplements.aspx
http://www.absorbentproductsltd.com/

I usually try to make a connection with my local livestock supply. They can often bring things in at no extra cost

 

[RanchoDeluxe]

Canada is full of bentonite. Just google Bentonite deposits in Canada. Canadianclays.com appears to sell it. I'm willing to bet you could find it for free with a little effort.

 

[VortexPower420]

You should check out Spanish river Carbonatite, I believe it is out of brampton ontario Canada,.
borealagrominerals.com
All sorts of good stuff in there Ca, P, Si, clays trace minerals, kinda a all in one.
Timbuktu

 

[OrganicLearner]

I am anxious to see someone grow in indoor raised beds, good luck!

 

[SpicySativa]

If you're still looking, CALL A WELL DRILLER. They go through pallets and pallets of bentonite. Should cost you maybe $3-5 for a 50-lb bag.

Here in the US of A they sell under the names BENSEAL and Hole Plug, just to name a couple.